Crashing Heart
by Yemi Hikari
Summary: Keith crash lands and doesn't think he'll make it out of there alive but thinks of Shiro and Allura.


_Disclaimer - I don't own Voltron: Legendary Defender. This is written for SecretTreasures and Fanfic's My Heart Is A Jungle where we write a romance story which also utilizes the action and adventure genre. I went with the Voltron legacy ship. The story takes place after Keith leaves the team, but before he comes back. This was one of the ones selected. Note: Keith says Shiro is his brother in the canon material. Whether they are biological siblings or not doesn't matter - what matters is Keith considers Shiro his brother._

**Crashing Heart**

The smell of burnt flight components made Keith want to throw up. He felt his thin frame lean over the controls for piloting the Galra spacecraft while his hands gripped the handles tightly in an attempt to support his body. He opened and closed his eyes in time to the throbbing pain in his head, but the grip of one hand loosened on the flight controls and reached for his pained side.

A deep breath escaped Keith's mouth. Instinctively he pushed himself out of the piolet's seat and attempted disengaging the canopy only to discover the system for doing so was damaged either in the fight or the crash. Keith's fingers slipped towards the blade he carried with him and brought the blade into the already cracked canopy. The material at first didn't break, but after a few strikes the canopy shattered and Keith could leave the spacecraft.

The humid, hot air of his jungle surroundings greeted Keith as he climbed out of his crashed aircraft. Keith felt himself start losing his balance and falling the rest of the way out of the spacecraft. One of his legs caught on the edge of the broken canopy and he felt pain shoot through his entire body as he felt a broken piece of the canopy rip through the leg of his space suit. He landed unceremoniously on the ground and instinctively stood up.

A yelp of pain escaped from Keith's lips and he found himself glancing around before letting his eyes settle on his leg. His teeth ground together upon seeing the slight gash on his leg. He also felt a slight straight in the hip area as getting his leg caught yanked at his body slightly. Keith glanced around for his dropped blade and slowly maneuvered himself over. When he picked up the blade, he maneuvered himself over to one of the local plants and cut away material so he could bind the injury.

His eyes darted up towards the sky warily in hopes a Galra enemy wasn't looking for his craft. The worst part was he couldn't remember how he came to be in the enemy aircraft in the first place. Keith let out a slight his as he tied his makeshift first aide tightly.

"At least they're safe." Thoughts of the other Voltron paladins made him swallow. "It doesn't matter what happens to me, so long as they're safe."

Keith took a deep breath and stood up. He'd not felt a part of the team since Shiro came back, but he couldn't erase what Allura said from his brain. He was like family, nothing more. He took a deep breath and started moving on his own two legs. No matter how much he told himself it didn't matter if he died so long as they were still alive, he didn't want to die. Something told him his survival depended on someone finding him rather than just his own skill alone.

**V**

Allura heard his heavy breathing but found herself taking in his familiar scent. Her eyes closed slightly. "_Please stop. I don't want to dream of him of all people. It hurts too much to do so when I know._"

The thought of forgetting what he looked like hurt even more and Allura opened her eyes up hoping she might see Keith's face, yet she couldn't see him at all. She instead found herself alone in the middle of a very humid jungle, but her leg, side, and head hurt. For some reason, the thought of dying alone frightened her greatly, yet she couldn't place why she felt this way or why she was, in this dream, in such a situation she thought she was dying.

"It's okay." Allura heard Keith's voice from nearby. "It's okay as long as they're okay."

Allura's eyes blinked in confusion, but she found herself unable to see Keith when she looked around again. When that failed, she looked down at her leg. She found herself taking a deep breath upon seeing what she was wearing in her dream. There was no situation she could think of where she would find herself wearing the uniform of one of the Blades of Marmora. Only Keith...

"It's not okay." She heard the slight shake in Keith's voice. "I don't want to die here. I want to see them again. Particularly Shiro..." Allura felt a slight pang knowing how close Keith was with the Black Paladin. "... and Allura. I know I'm just family to her, but..."

She didn't finish hearing what Keith had to say. Instead, she found herself sitting up straight and gasping. "He's alive. He's actually alive."

She swung her feet onto the ground and hurried out towards the bridge where she found Shiro and Coran. Both looked up at her with slight hints of worry upon their faces. The Black Paladin said, "Allura?"

"Keith's alive."

"Princess..." Coran reached out and grabbed her shoulders firmly. "You had a nightmare. You should go back to bed."

"I didn't have a nightmare, Coran!" Allura pushed his hands away. "I know he's alive." She turned and glared at Shiro. "Keith didn't stop looking for you!"

"I know." Shiro glanced at the ground. "However, how are we supposed to find him Allura?"

Allura's mouth opened, and yet she didn't know the answer. Not knowing the answer frightened her.

**V**

A fever wracked his small frame making his body tremble, but every place in his body which wasn't already hurting now ached badly. In the back of Keith's mind, he knew the Galra were tracking him and he kept his blade clutched to his chest. Keith currently found himself with his back against a tree hoping the Galra looking for him wouldn't. He leaned back his head and cursed his luck.

"I wonder," Lance's voice piped up from nearby. "If Galra, particularly full Galra, can smell other Galra. Huh, Keith?" Hallucinating the person Keith least wanted to see at that moment was another sign he was somehow losing his mind.

Specifically, he'd not realized his body was racked with a fever because of the humid heat of the jungle which surrounded him. He'd ignored the way his breathing became more difficult and the way his heart rate increased, but the aches running through his entire body definitely indicated a fever-wracked his entire body. That or Keith was at death's door.

"Shut up Lance," Keith muttered under his breath.

The sound of a branch cracking made Keith's head turn and his eyes went wide. Peeking around the corner of one of the trees was a rather large Galra. He sucked in a deep breath while the Galra shoulder lifted their gun. Somehow Keith found a last ounce of adrenaline which helped spur his legs into maneuvering him into a run. His ears caught the sound of a bullet hitting the tree where he once was.

"Serves you right for telling me to shut up," imaginary Lance said.

The incline of the land sloped downwards in the direction he headed, but some of the roots of the trees he used as cover from the pursing Galra made the terrain rough going even for someone in Keith's best condition. Keith heard another shot from a Galra weapon as something pierced his shoulder painfully. The motion of the shot lurched him forward and Keith found himself tumbling forward down the slope.

Keith took a deep breath and turned his head towards the Galra pursuing. The glimpse of something purple made Keith pull himself behind a tree out of view before bringing one hand up in hopes of staunching the blood. His eyes opened and closed while his head continued throbbing while a feverish shiver ran through his entire body. He glanced up at the sky. "I'm going to die."

"Well, yeah. Kind of obvious, isn't it?"

"Go away. Please..."

For a few brief seconds, Keith thought he heard one of the Galra scream and then another. Keith took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He expected imaginary Lance to say something, but nothing came. One hand clutched onto his blade while he mentally readied himself for whatever creature may attack him. He carefully listened for the sound of anything approaching yet heard nothing. His mouth twisted into a frown of confusion. He finally opened his eyes and looked up when he heard someone call his name.

"How cruel."

"Keith..." The imaginary Shiro took a deep breath.

"I'm dying and hallucinate the two people I love the most." Keith's vision began blurring as he started falling forward. "My brother and..."

**V**

"Come on. Keith's dead. The blades told us as much."

"No. They told us he went missing and was thus presumed dead." Allura felt frustrated at not knowing how to find Keith, but Lance's comments weren't helping. "I just need a way..." A thought projected from one of the Space Mice ran through her mind and her eyes widened. "Of course!"

She took a deep breath and headed towards the bridge while the Space Mice ran after her. Lance followed close behind with his arms crossing his chest and his bottom lip sticking out. She arrived at the bridge and felt the Space Mice run up her paladin uniform so they could perch on her shoulder. She placed her hands on the ship controls and took a deep breath.

"Allura, what are you doing?"

One of Allura's eyes twitched. She turned her head and glared at her fellow paladin. "Shush Lance! I'm trying to concentrate."

"I don't get why you're so worried about finding Keith when you have me."

"Seriously..."

"Allura..." Shiro's voice made her turn and look at the Black Paladin. "What are you doing?"

"I'm finding Keith, or at least I'm trying to. People keep interrupting what I'm trying to do."

"Seriously, it's always Keith."

A quick glare from Shiro made Lance shut up.

"If you think this will find Keith..." Shiro smiled at her. "... then I'll tell Coran and the other paladins to get ready for a wormhole."

Allura took a deep breath and found herself starting to relax while Shiro sent out the message over the intercom that they would be making a jump. She placed her hands on the smooth, round controls and took a deep breath and focused. "Remember, Allura. You're connected, so you can find him."

She felt the air sucked from her lungs as her mind traveled through space until she arrived above a luscious green planet. Her eyes snapped open and she saw the same planet now in front of their ship. Lance spoke from behind her with a slight irritation in her voice. "Now what? This hasn't gotten us anywhere."

Allura ignored what Lance said and instead headed towards the hanger for the Blue Lion. She took a deep breath knowing what should happen next. A hand clamped down on her shoulder and she turned to look at Shiro. "I'm coming with you, okay?"

She found herself smiling yet felt a pang of jealousy. Keith was closest to Shiro. "Yes. Of course." She sat down in the piolets seat and closed her eyes and let the Blue Lion now guide her. Her mind briefly connected with Keith's feverish mind and felt his fear. She knew the Galra were after him. "We've got to go, go now before it is too late."

"What..."

Allura's eyes snapped open and her hands thrust forward making the Blue Lion take off. The Blue Lion hurtled towards the planet while Coran came onto the video chat saying various things regarding the planet below. Allura paid what her fellow Altean said no mind and instead focused on getting to Keith as quickly as possible. Shiro leaned forward pointed towards a few Galra ships which were used for recon. "I see."

The Blue Lion lurched forward again and it's maul crushed down onto one of the ships before pursuing the other. She saw a good place for hiding the Blue Lion near where she sensed Keith and lanced. "We've got to hurry."

"I'm following your lead."

They walked at a brisk pace but soon found some of the Galra the other ships let down onto the ground. Allura watched carefully from behind a tree with Shiro when she heard the gunshot go off. She felt her stomach lurch knowing the person the Galra were likely after was Keith. Only a few minutes later another shot was heard. A black and white blur appeared from beside her and hurried after the first Galra.

Allura pulled out from behind the tree and watched Shiro take down a couple of soldiers with ease. She hurried forward and formed her paladin weapon into an electric whip. She swung the weapon out and knocked the Galra off their feet so their head crashed into one of the jungle trees hard. Her fist swung into the face of another. She hurried with Shiro in the direction they heard the gunshot and took out the final Galra soldier.

The two paladins walked down the slight slope looking carefully for Keith. Eventually, the heard someone's strained breathing and walked around the tree to find Keith standing there. His skin was pale and bags were under his eyes. "Keith..."

"How cruel."

"Keith..." Shiro seemed hurt by these words.

"I'm dying and hallucinate the two people I love the most." Keith's eyes started closing and his body started toppling forward. "My brother and..."

Allura stepped forward and caught him gently in her arms. "Shush. I've got you." Keith slumped in her arms, but she felt his hot, clammy cheek against her neck. "Are humans supposed to be this warm?"

She watched Shiro's dark eyes widen. The Black Paladin stepped over and touched Keith's face gently. His breath came out sharply. "Quiznack. He's burning up. We've got to get him to the Castle of Lions. While I get him into one of the pods I want you to get us out of here in case any of the Galra come looking.

Allura didn't argue with the leader of Voltron and hurried towards the Blue Lion, but she did find herself remembering something. "Wait? Did Keith say you were his brother?"

She glanced over and saw Shiro glance away awkwardly. "It's complicated." She didn't push the issue and instead got onboard and hurried to the bridge waiting for Shiro to let her know he'd secured Keith in one of the healing pods. "Go ahead and jump Allura."

She took a deep breath and jumped the team away. She took a deep breath and let go of the controls before heading to the healing pods and waiting. Eventually, Keith came out of the pod, and yet he still needed time to rest and Shiro took Keith to his quarters.

**V**

Keith's breathing felt normal which in turn made his eyes flicker open. His eyes opened and closed. "Allura?" The Altean Princess leaned over him smiling. He closed his eyes wondering if he was further hallucinating. He felt her lips touch his. "I'm still hallucinating, right?"

"Why would you say that?"

"The Allura I know doesn't reciprocate my feelings."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because she said I was like family."

"When did I say that?"

"Before I infiltrated the Galra ship."

"You mean for the mission the Blades sent you on."

"No. When I infiltrated Zarkon's ship. It was after she told me that it didn't matter that I was Galra. What mattered was who I am."

"You remembered that?"

Keith's eyes opened despite the fact he wanted to go back to sleep. "Why wouldn't I? It hurt hearing you say you thought of me like family and thus not reciprocate my feelings, but you also said I mattered for who I am."

Allura leaned over and locked lips with Keith. He closed his eyes in slight confusion. "I said you and the paladins were like family."

The kiss ended, and yet Keith still felt confused. "I'm not following."

Someone cleared their voice which made Keith's eyes snapped open. His eyes drifted towards where the person was and saw Shiro standing there with a rather amused look on her face. "She was trying to confess you, Keith."

"Wh..."

"You're not dreaming buddy."

Keith's entire body tensed up upon realizing he was in his quarters on the Castle of Lions, but Allura was in his room with Shiro. More importantly, Shiro saw the entire conversation between the two of them. Keith felt the heat start up in the tips of his ears and his cheeks. "Wh..."

"Allura, Keith still needs to rest."

Allura leaned forward and placed a light kiss on Keith's forehead before getting up and leaving the room. Keith's eyes closed in confusion. "I don't understand."

"What?" Shiro asked.

"Why would Allura like me?"

"She already told you. She likes you because of who you are."

Keith's eyes snapped open. "Why the hell would anybody like me! I don't like me."

"Yeah..." Shiro let out a deep breath. "We need to work on that."


End file.
